Water sprayer



April 15, 1952 M. SIGMUND 2,592,753

WATER SPRAYER Filed Nov. 26, 1947 [/v VEA/TOR Patented Apr. 15, 1952 WATER SPRAYER Miroslav Sigmund, Gosforth, England Application November 26, 1947, Serial No. 788,136 In Great Britain October 3, 1945 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires October 3, 1965 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in and relating to water sprayers of the kind in which a jet of water is caused to impinge upon and rotate a diffusing or atomising element to produce a spray. Water spraying apparatus of this kind is known in which the diffusing element is in the form of a wheel with radial vanes, mounted for rotation about an axis making an acute lateral angle with the axis of the jet nozzle, itself capable of rotation, so that the vanes project into a water jet emerging from the nozzle and rotation of both the .dilfusing element on the jet nozzle and of the jet nozzle itself is effected by the reaction of the water jet pressure.

In accordance with the present invention a water sprayer is provided including a rotatably mounted jet nozzle, a rotary diffuser mounted on said jet nozzle for rotation about an axis making a lateral acute angle with the axis of the jet nozzle and for limited movement longitudinally of said axis of rotation, said diffuser having on its periphery a plurality of radial vanes disposed in planes inclined to the plane of rotation of the diffuser and adapted to project into the path of the water jet projected by the nozzle, and to a variable extent in accordance with the position of the diffuser longitudinally of its axis of rotation, so that rotation is imparted both to the diffuser relative to the jet nozzle and to the jet nozzle itself and movement is imparted to the diffuser along its axis of rotation on the jet nozzle, all by reaction pressure of the water jet, and means to retard the rotation of the diffuser on the jet nozzle when said diffuser has made a movement of predetermined extent along its axis of rotation.

The movement of the diffuser in the direction of its axis changes the path of rotation of the vanes and therefore the extent of their projection into the water jet. The extent of such permitted movement is controlled by the means retarding rotation of the diffuser which may be an adjustable friction brake provided on the axis spindle of the diffuser, the adjustment of which enables the speed of rotation and the position of the diffuser relative to the jet to be related to the strength of the water jet to vary the nature and distribution of the spray produced.

In the preferred arrangement the diffuseris provided with oneor, several vanes of greater radial length than others, the vanes of greater length where more than one are used, being symmetrically disposed e. g. at diametrically opposite points on the periphery of the diffuser, the arrangement being such that when the diffuser takes a position with the vanes of shorter radial length wholly or for the major part withdrawn from the path of the water projected from the jet nozzle, the longer vanes remain in a position to be fully impinged upon by the water to maintain rotation.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation partly in section of a complete water sprayer,

Fig. 2 is a front view of the diffuser, and

Fig. 3 is a view from above the atomiser and the end of the jet nozzle, taken in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1.

Referring to the .drawings, the jet nozzle may take the form of a tube I having a suitably reduced outlet 2 and mounted so as to project at an angle above the horizontal, the lower end 3 being bent and formed for engagement with a bearing 4 at the upperend of a supporting body 5 having a water passage therethrough, so that the nozzle I is capable of rotation about the axis of the body 5.

The body 5 is carried by a tripod or like support 6 and is intended to be disposed with the axis substantially vertical and is provided at its lower end with a suitable union 1 for connection with a water supply pipe (not shown).

On the upper side of v the tube I is formed a boss 8 pierced to receive a rod'9 directed so as to make a transverse acute angle a with the axis of the jet nozzle l as shown in Fig. 3, and also directed slightly downwards relative to said axis as shown in Fig. 1. The rod 9 is adjustable longitudinally of itself in the boss 8 being retained as set by means of a locking screw 10 provided in the boss. The rod is provided with a shoulder II and on the outer end of the rod beyond the shoulder is mounted a rotatable first sleeve 12 also capable of sliding movement on th rod 9. On this sleeve 12 in turn is rotatably and slidably mounted a further or second sleeve [3 forming a hub for the diffuser.

The diffuser is formed by a spoked wheel 14 fixed on sleeve I3 and having a plurality of vanes l5 formed on its periphery and uniformly inclined to the plane of the wheel. In the example shown the vanes are of uniform radial length with the exception of two vanes I5 disposed at diametrically opposite points on the periphery, these two vanes being of approximately twice the radial length and also twice the angular width of the others. Adjacent vanes l5 are slightly spaced from one another by an angular distance which is a small fraction e. g. one-fifth of the angular width of thesmall vanes, the spacing betweena large vane l5 and adjacent small vanes l5 however bein somewhat greater.

When mounted on sleeve l2 on rod 9 the vane wheel or diffuser is in a plane inclined laterally, and also vertically, to the axis of the jet nozzle-l and the vanes l5 extend across-or into the jet.

axis, the downward tilt of the rod 9 being such that the axis of the jet meetsltheperiphery oftheg diffuser approximately at the pointaof. contact therewith of a tangent in a planewhich isvertical and parallel to the rod 9.

The ends of the first and second sleeves l2 and I3 are provided with flanges l6 and IT formed with co-operating dogs toform a clutch enabling the two sleeves; to be clutched together.

The outer end of the rod 9 is surrounded by a compression spring 18 mounted between a pair of cup washers I9,- 20,; one. of which I9 engages the end surface of the, flange 16 on the first sleeve l2 and the other of which 2!! isen'gaged by a wing nut 2| screwed on the end of the rod 9, whereby the compression of the spring l8and thereby the frictional resistance between the-cup washer I9 and the flange 16 on the first sleeve [2 may be varied and a required degree of retardationthereby imposedupon the second sleeve l3 and the diffuser l4 fixed thereon, whenever the cooperating dogs on the flanges; J6 and I! of the two sleeves l2 and I3 become engaged. 7

At the commencement of.-operationthe difiuser and its relatedlpartsare in the positions shown in Fig. 1 and the smaller vanes [5 lie inthe path of a, water jet delivered from nozzle-l so that it may impinge upon them fully. The inertia of the atomiser'wheel will easilybe overcome and-the impact of the water upon thevanes will cause the wheel and sleeve l3 .on whichit'is fixedto rotate freely about the first sleeve l2. At: the same time the jet nozzle .1 isIotated relatively slowly on its bearing 4 by the reaction of the water pressure onthe vanes I5. I

As the wheel gathers momentum, it will also slide along the first sleeve until the'dog clutch is engaged. By this means. rotation of the wheel is retarded due to the frictional resistance imposed by the spring l8. In this, whichis the normal runningposition, the wheel will have moved laterallyoutwards from the axis of the jet, so that the water no longer impinges fully on; the smallvanes 15, but rather upon or in the region of their peripheral outer edges. The jet will howengaged and all the vanes heavily engaged by V ever continue to impinge fully upon the two large of the wind and to control the degree of atomisation or breaking up of the water jet as desired, by adjustment of the compression of the spring l8 by means of the wing nut 2|. By increasing the compression of spring I8 frictional en agement between washer l9 and the flange IE on sleeve I2 is increased and the wheel caused to rotate more slowly.

As a result of this braking of the wheel the large vanes l5 are engaged by the jet at longer time intervals and thejetnozzle. I caused to rotate more slowly on bearing 4.

The arrangement also offers the advantage that it operates automatically to offset the effects of varying wind pressure. For example, wind pressure in the direction tending to resist rotationof the atomiser also urges it inwards on its spindle 9 with reduction of the frictional engagement between washer l9 and flange l6 and some movement ofthe vanes into the path of the jet and in the caseof a very strong gust of wind in this direction the clutch may be temporarily disthe water jet. Wind pressure in the reverse direction tends to remove the vanes from the jet and increasethe frictional resistance between parts. [6 and 19.;

The friction; spring .coupling and clutch. means are particularl efiicacious' under heavy wind conditions in preventing cessation of rotation of dif-? fuserand jet nozzle and otherthan temporary changes in speed as the difiusermoves into and out ofthe wind.

I claim: 7

l. A water sprayer comprisinga support element, .a, jet nozzlemounted for rotation on said support element andadapted toproject a water jet at an upward inclination when in use,- a spindle carried on said jet nozzle and making a lateral acute angle with the axis of said jet nozzle, a sleeve mounted for rotation on said spindle, a rotary'difiuser mounted on said spindle for rotation on, and movement along said spindle, said diffuser including a plurality of radial vanesdisposed'in places inclined to the axis of rotationof said diffuser and adapted to project into the path ofa water jet projected by said jet nozzle so that saiddifiuser is rotated on said spindle by said water jet and is moved longitudinally in one direction along said spindle bysaid'water jet and saidvanesprogressively withdrawn from the path of said-water jet, braking means adapted to resist rotation of said sleeve on said spindle, and a sliding dogclutch between said sleeve and said diffuser adapted to efiect clutching engagement between said sleeve and said diffuser when said difiuser has been moved on said spindle to=a predetermined extent by said water jet.

2. A water sprayer comprising asupport'element, a jetnozzle-mounted'for rotation-on said support element and adapted to project a water jet at an upward inclination when in use, a spindle carried on said jet nozzle and making a lateral acute angle with the-axis of said jetnozzle, a sleeve mounted iorrotation on said spindle, a rotary diffuser mounted on said spindle-for rotation on, and movement along said spindle-said by said water jet and said vanes of shorter radial length progressively withdrawn from the path of said water jet, braking means adapted to resist rotation of said sleeve on said spindle, and a clutch between said sleeve and said diffuser adapted to eifect clutching engagement between said sleeve and said difiuser when said diffuser has been moved on said spindle to a predetermined extent by said water jet.

. M. SIGMUND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Cuthbert July 19, 1892 Raidl Nov. 14, 1905 Nelson June 17, 1930 Englehart Apr. 16, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Switzerland Dec. 16, 1932 

